The sport of surfing has become extremely popular over many parts of the world having great numbers of enthusiasts in virtually any seashore area having useable surf and coast line. Practitioners of the sport of surfing become extremely skilled and by cleverly maneuvering their surfboards to the inward side of a moving wave, they are able to stand upright upon their surfboards and literally ride the waves into the shore. While the skill levels of surfers are often amazing, even the most skilled surfer is likely to endure several falls during the course of a day of surfing. Because such falls occur most frequently in the turbulent or tumultuous areas of the wave which the surfer is riding or attempting to ride, a fall subjects the surfer to several problems and risks. Two of such problems arise in connection with the size and buoyancy of the surfboard itself. Once the surfer is plunged into the turbulence of the wave, all control over the surfboard itself is lost. In many cases, the surfer and the surfboard are repeatedly tumbled as they plunge under the power of the wave. Thus, one problem arising is the great separation which may occur between the surfer and the surfboard during such tumultuous falls. The surfer may find his or herself separated from their surfboard by a substantial distance or may find the surfboard continuing to be carried inward by the wave leaving the surfer behind. While this problem is inconvenient, it is by no means the most serious problem associated with falls. A far more serious possibility arises in that the surfer tumbling about in a wave along with his or her surfboard may actually be struck by the surfboard itself. This hazard has become even greater because of the extreme buoyancy and streamlined often pointed shapes of modern surfboards and the sharp underside fins which they utilize. The majority, if not all, of today's surfboards are formed of an extremely strong lightweight foam core having substantial rigidity and buoyancy. The fiber core is shaped in a hydrodynamically streamlined shape having generally flat top and bottom surfaces. A thin tough and preferably smooth fiberglass skin is formed about the lightweight foam core and one or more sharp downwardly extending fins are supported on the underside rear portion of the surfboard.
To meet the problems associated with the safety risks to surfers in collision with surfboards, practitioners in the art often provide an ankle leash formed of a flexible cord or belt material which is secured to a recessed plug attachment in the upper surface of the surfboard. Thus, the surfer employing such a device, slips the flexible leash about one ankle with the remaining end secured to the plug. The object in using such a surfboard leash is to provide a means by which the surfer and surfboard do not become separated in the event of a fall.
Another problem arising in the use of surfboards is surfboard theft. Modern boards are usually very costly and, what is worse, because they are light and small they are easy to steal if left unattended. In the typical beach environment, however, in which surfing often occurs, there is often a desire on the part of surfers to spend periods of time in activities and sports other than surfing itself. However, care must be taken to avoid leaving the valuable surfboards unattended which often restricts the activities available to such beachgoers.
There remains, therefore, a need in the art for a convenient reliable and easy to use security device for surfboards.